Quality surely trumps convenience? Not so it seems...

Playlist
Matthew Florianz – Koude Handen
Matthew Florianz – Malbeek
Various – The Perfumed Garden
Emily Scott – Abcdefg Etc
Various – La Belle Epoque : EMI’s French Girls 1965-68
Brian Eno & David Byrne – My Life in the Bush of Ghosts
Cloudland Blue Quartet – The Melville Set

Awoke around 4:30, with Meg the Black Cat purring loudly whilst relaxing upside down in an unfeasible position next to me – that’s one of the things cats are for I think...

Up at 5 or so and made a list of “things I’ve got on the go” – rather an inconsequential bunch of items, truth be told...

• Update the Crispycat website...
• Update the blog...
• Reorganise the Jukeboxes...
• Rip the pile of classical CDs which has been lying next to the PC for a couple of months now...
• Rip the CDs borrowed three weeks ago from the library and which must be returned today...
• Record and upload the set from Wednesday night’s performance...
• Fix the downloading ability from the various CBQ album individual websites...
• De-case the remainder of my self-burned CDs which have been piled up in the back room for a number of months now...
• Put these CDs into plastic sleeves....

By the time I was sent to the Grocery Store for croissants around 10 am, I’d managed to update the blog and done some work on the Crispycat site...

Post breakfast and prior to leaving to drive into town to meet Dr Prog at the library, I’d managed to rip the library CDs to one of the hard drives (where they will no doubt languish until I’ve gone and said drive is chucked in a skip)...

Parked and walked to the library...



...almost 30 minutes late – but Dr Prog texted to advise he’d slept in and that he too was running late...

The racks of CDs-no-longer-able-to-be-loaned-out-for-some-reason-or-another seemed to have been replenished and so, whilst I didn’t borrow anything, at just sixty of your English one pence pieces each I picked up titles by Laura Nyro (2CD), Erasure (2CD), Emily Scott, TV21, Eno & Byrne and a compilation of French chanteuses from the mid sixties...

Dr Prog borrowed some unlistenable jazz by Evan Parker, whilst suggesting we both leave our collections to library in our wills...

I offered the opinion that, by the time we die, no-one will be listening to CDs or borrowing them from a library – that’ll be soooo early 21st Century old-school re listening options...

We walked back past the University...



...to the new premises of the Mosque Kitchen and enjoyed an economical tasty wee curry each and shot the breeze about prog rock etc etc, as we are wont to do...

To the Richmond Café for Turkish coffee...



...and more chat – where the Doc showed me his latest thing on his I Phone (he is a gadget guru) – Accu Radio...

You can choose from a large number of genre-based "stations" with no DJ chat and very little in the way of advertising...

This seems to fit in with my theory of the demise of physical listening content...

In 10 years (or less), people will pay £10 (or less) a month to listen to anything they want, streamed to their home system, mobile phone or mobile music device...

Godammit - and here’s me with over 6,000 Compact Discs cluttering up Crispycat Towers...

Mind you, although I will admit it's a good way of finding "new to you" music, I’m listening to their “Piano Jazz” station as I type - the sound quality might be fine for an I-Phone on the bus but it doesn’t really stand up to quality headphone style listening...

I am right and the rest of the world is, badly, wrong - surely convenience over quality does not make for a good situation...

And how on earth are artists going to make any money?

It's very difficult to find any accurate stats online as to just how much an artist receives per stream but it's rumoured that 1 million plays of "Poker Face" by Lady gaga on Spotify earned her the princely sum of $167...

Doesn't bode well for the earnings of artists getting even hundreds of thousands of plays, never mind tens of thousands...

Home and, with Anne watching the Scottish Cup Final (rather predictably, Celtic 3 Motherwell 0), I put the studio back together and recorded a facsimile of Wednesday night’s eight song performance, uploaded it to the cloud and added it to the CBQ Live website...



It’s just me, a mic and a guitar - all first takes – although I abandoned the idea of trying to recreate my witty between song banter – as it didn’t seem to be quite so witty in hindsight – I guess you had to be there...



Download This Set

In the evening, post a chat with Sister Pam - now into the second phase of her treatment and doing fine thus far, with no discernable side-effects and the Oncology Specialist liking her condition - your trio of Crispycat Towers inhabitants was entertained and sustained by “Dr Who”, another curry (Meg did not partake), “Have I Got News For You”, “Law & Order”, “The Likely Lads” film from 1976 and “Russell Howard Live in Brighton” prior to lights out...

Another fun-packed Saturday...

Highlight of the Day : Out with Dr Prog, in with the Exec Producer and Meg the Black Cat...

Don't put your money on the favourite...

Playlist
Matthew Florianz – Koude Handen
Anathema – We’re Here Because We’re Here

Having headed to bed last night with the old “last 12 months on shuffleplay” scenario on the cans, I awoke this morning to hear a quite excellent sound in my lugs, which I struggled to place...

Of course, being so old now, my eyes are not what they used to be and, rather frustratingly, I find it impossible to read the display on the jukebox without my reading specs...

So, I flicked the machine off random mode and enjoyed the whole album – still trying to figure out what it was...

Up, specs on, mystery solved – it was none other than the extremely super duper ambient sounds of Mr Matthew Florianz’s “Koude Handen”, which I downloaded from his site a couple of months ago...

I was so impressed, I listened again and Matthew’s music soundtracked my day...

And so to what happened...

Firstly, a fresh view of the city beckoned...



In the late afternoon, drinks at Ryan’s Bar with chums Gary, Stuart, Derek and Scott – the last three our, and a number of others’, hosts for a trip to this evening's meeting at Musselburgh races...















A very tasty meal (sweet potato, cumin and pinenut soup/pork with potatoes dauphinoise and spring veg/extremely tasty and creamy strawberry tart and ice cream) was accompanied by lashings of Italian red wine, Italian beer and English Gin...

A tipster gave us tips and bets were placed...

By the end of the first race, your correspondent was considerably down...



In the third race, I needed number 8 (the odds on favourite) to win to avoid being extremely, considerably down...

Here’s the scene at the half way point...



Here’s the scene at the finishing line...



Ooof!



My Tote Placepot was still ok though...

I just needed number 1 to be placed in the fourth race...



Ooof!



Now considerably, extremely, rather badly down, I took a wander around the track and refrained from partaking of any of the bookies’ offers on the fifth race...





On the sixth, I made an all or nothing bet on the second favourite, number 5 at 5-1, just before Mr Norrie Drummond, the bookie, amended to 4-1...



If it were to have won, I would have made back every one of your English pounds of my losses, with a couple of said pounds going on to the credit side of the ledger...



Yarooo! A winner at 5-1...



With, strangely, not a single favourite having won but with my mood somewhat lifted, we left the course around 9:45...



....and headed back to Edinburgh and Indigo Yard for more drinks...

Around 11, I bade farewell to Gary, his partner Adam and the rest of the boys and headed to Haymarket station to meet up with the Exec Producer, who’d been out celebrating chum Chris-with-a-ch’s birthday, along with further chums The Ferret, Graham & Dawn and Kerry & Angie...

Back home just after midnight – surprisingly not too much the worse for horse-racing wear...

A good day...

Highlight of the Day : Pulling the betting out of the fire with a last gasp gamble...

Nuts of the pea variety, with salt...

Playlist
Family – Bandstand
Freemasons – Unmixed
Family – In Their Own Time
The Quintet – Jazz at the Massey Hall

More “Aftersilence” work first thing...













In the evening...



...after a long walk up a big hill...





I stopped by a certain music emporium looking for a recent recommendation from brother –in-law keith – which had not previously been partaken of due to the age of the recording (May 1953)...

However, taking the Keithmeister at his word, I duly bought The Quintet’s “Jazz at Massey Hall”...

Of course this is not just any old quintet – it’s:-

Dizzy Gillespie - Trumpet
Charlie Parker – Alto Sax
Bud Powell - Piano
Charlie Mingus - Bass
Max Roach – Drums

“Salt Peanuts” indeed!

Enjoyed said album with some tasty trout from the Exec Producer and a cheeky bottle of red...

Later on, the latest episode of “The Shadow Line” continued to entertain – as did the Thursday staple “This Week”...

Highlight of the Day : Good music, good food, good wine...

Unprecedented dancing...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet – The Vendôme EP
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Aftersilence
Freemasons – Unmixed
Family – In Their Own Time

As yesterday, up at an ungodly hour and more work on order issuance...

A walk to FOPP at lunchtime and I partook of Freemasons’ “Unmixed” from 2007 – which contains a folder samples “for DJs and Producers” which I may be able to use...

With this in my hand I took a wander around the shop and, while browsing at “F”, I had a wee look at the “Family” section and what did I find but the very compilation recently removed from HMV’s 2 for £10 promotion – and for just £3 – for a double CD...

It was sofort upgesnapped...

Took delivery of the one and only CBQ “Aftersilence” T Shirt produced thus far...



Back home, prepping Vendôme EPs for tonight’s performance and a last minute run through of the four songs – trying not to sound “hesitant” as noted yesterday by the Exec Producer...

Out just after seven and to the venue – The Melville, a well known bar in the city’s William Street near the West End of Princes Street...

On arriving I was advised I’d be playing for thirty minutes (twice as long as expected and rehearsed for)...

So, around nine, after the compere talked me up and got the crowd going, I took to the stage and opened with “Twenty Twenty Vision” with no introduction from me...

Then my usual spiel about the unfortunate sale of a house and a car noted while taking Meg the Black Cat on her holidays to Armadale which led into “The End of Everything”...

Third up was the first of four last minute additions, “The Angels’ Kiss”, which was prefaced by a comedy grammar lesson re the positioning of apostrophes...

Then a plug for the EP with the title track “Vendôme” which, without Mr Ryan Sour Grapes’ backing, seemed a little flat – although of course no-one else there had heard the original...

The tale of Scottish/Australian co-operation intro’d this one...

“I Re-Arranged the House (on the Day You Came to Stay)” was next, which I introduced by mocking the use of country and western style brackets...

Everything was going swimmingly – the above descriptions don’t really give you the full deprecating nature of my between song banter but it was going down well with the crowd and offsetting nicely the downbeat nature of the material – a lesson learned from the recent performance by John Grant I attended with Creek’s Mr Cobley...

I threw the floor open as to the meaning behind “Still We Doubt You” – of course no-one got it and a shout of “Iraq War II” went up from the stage at its conclusion...

I also thanked the providers of the buffet for serving it while I was on stage in an attempt to help me with my weight loss programme...

For “Lights Out”, I explained to the youngsters in the audience the fate which awaits them of all their family and friends dying and their losing their memories – but I did it in a comedy stylee...

And so, having run out of time and dropping “Splinterheart” I ended with the only other upbeat number in the bag, “The Crocodile Song”...

To my surprise and satisfaction, people got up and danced in front of the stage...

Thanking the “Cloudland Blue Dancers”, I left the stage to much congratulatory input from various audients, the owner of the establishment and my fellow performers...

A very enjoyable experience – prior to which I was ultra, ultra nervous and self doubtful...

Over the evening I enjoyed four other acts including an impressive 18 year old singer Jill Shearer – when I remember how dreadful I was at 18, it put me to shame...



At 11 I headed out into the night and back home to Annie and Meg the Black Cat, just in time for “Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle” – a good end to a good day...

Highlight of the Day : Performing to an appreciative audience...

Almost too busy to write - enjoyably so...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Aftersilence
(I'm sure I played some other stuff too but can't remember now)

Most of today was spent organising “Aftersilence” manufacturing...

Of course, when every CD you issue is a hand created artefact, it can take some time to put it all together...



In addition to this, I needed to fit in some practising of the songs on the new “Vendôme” EP which will form my set tomorrow night...

Twenty Twenty Vision
Vendôme
The End of Everything
I Re-Arranged the House

...is the proposed set...

Late on a Tivo’d “Glee”, featuring the music of Fleetwood Mac, entertained, sort of...

Highlight of the Day : Order fulfilling...

Music is better than football but it takes time to realise this...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Aftersilence
Dar Williams – Many Great Companions
Various Composers – Cello Music in London at the Time of Prince Frederick
Metcalfe – Constant Filter

Legal work today...

And the first steps in re-igniting the Capital Models flame once again – we will try a combination of CM songs from 1980, some of Jamie’s, some of mine and some well chosen cover versions...

Two things this evening...

Firstly to a local church to hear the string players from Primaries 5, 6 and 7 of five or six local schools play some music...

On one of the cellos, was nephew Ollie...



He performed well – or as well as might be expected of a 10 year old...



I sat with his sister Kitty and we had a good time...



Of course sister-in-law Jane and Anne’s mum were also there, although Bobby was unable to attend re a (genuine) mysterious illness...

I promised to put together a disc of cello music for the celebrity cellist – even though, on the back seat of his mum’s car on the way home, he maintained football was still better than music...

The second thing was starting the process of fulfilling orders for the new compilation CD...

This graces the cover of the instrumental disc - the pile features each of the thirty CDs included (although you can't see some of them as they are CD singles in plastic sleeves - I assure you though, they are there)...



There’s nothing better than your music being wanted...

A pile of work is piling up – I must update the Crispycat website and do more rehearsing for Wednesday night’s brief appearance...

It’s all good though...

Highlight of the Day : My music being wanted...

A couple of rarities...

Playlist
Cloudland Blue Quartet - Aftersilence
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Vendôme EP
VArious - Jazz Jukebox on Shuffleplay
Various – 30 Favourite Artists
Various Composers – 100 Best Baroque
Earthworks – Heavenly Bodies

Working this morning on the website for Aftersilence – now done....

Then realised none of the tracks I have put up to the Cloud thus far can currently be downloaded directly from the players I’ve posted, as my provider appears to have changed the workings of their site...

So, a laborious long haul project to provide individual downloads on each of the now nine albums I have up...

By the end of today I’d re-done “Splinterheart”, “Soundingfall” and “Ersatzreal” plus “Aftersilence” and the new “Vendôme” EP...

Still to do "Callingstill" through to "Deeperdown"...

Also this morning sourced and up loaded all the best songs from yesterday’s “Eurovision Song Contest”...

Some work in the garden – a rarity for me...







More work on the CBQ album sites as noted above and rehearsing acoustic versions of “Twenty Twenty Vision”, “Vendôme”, “The End of Everything” and “I Re-Arranged the House”, as per the “Vendôme” EP, for Wednesday...

Some mucking about with the camera...











To Anne’s mum’s for tea...

Much talk about football...

Anne’s mum’s curries were very tasty today – as were her home-made chocolate brownies...

Tomorrow evening I will be off to a cello recital by nephew Ollie and his schoolchums – I can already hear it in my head...

Back home “Portillo on Salmond” was ok but a little disappointing – although I have much time for Mr P...

Fell asleep during “Sportscene” and called it a day pre the Exec Producer – another rarity...

Highlight of the Day : Anne’s mum’s cooking...

NEW CBQ EP - Vendôme

Download by Clicking on a Song Title
Vendôme (Single Mix)
Twenty Twenty Vision (Acoustic Version)
Vendôme (Acoustic Mix)
The End of Everything (Acoustic Version)
Vendôme (Full Version)
I Re-Arranged the House (Acoustic Version)
Vendôme (Instrumental Mix)

(Note : There is a certain amount of cross-fading, so individual downloads may not contain the full song - best download them all)

Re rebuilding...

Playlist
Earthworks – Heavenly Bodies
Various – The Wall Rebuilt
Elvis Presley – A Fool Such As I
Elvis Presley – The Wonder of You
Cloudland Blue Quartet – Vendôme EP
Various – Eurovision Song Contest
Allan Holdsworth – Against the Clock

First thing, decided to recreate the Earthworks compilation “Heavenly Bodies”...

Out for breakfast soundtracked by this...

Lovely morning...











Annoyingly, forgetfulness led me to leave my wallet in the house, then my specs in the car...

Anne obliged with some cash and, post breakfast from Patisserie Florentin...



...with her glasses as I perused the wares in the Oxfam Music Shop...

I bought a 2CD set of Pink Floyd’s “The Wall” re-imagined by a hand picked cast of new movers and shakers in the independent music scene by our chums at Mojo magazine...

Despite that, it’s actually rather good...

Also bought two Elvis Presley singles – “A Fool Such As I” seeing as it was number one when I was born (actually it was Buddy Holly’s “It Just doesn’t Matter Anymore” Dave but that just doesn’t matter anymore) – and “The Wonder of You” – the first record I bought with my own (pocket) money...

I had it in my head that “CC Rider” was the B Side but, of course, that was the flip of “Polk Salad Annie” – the dreadful “Mama Liked the Roses” was the real one...

Though not a buyer of “78s”, I had a wee look in the new premises of “The Gramophone Emporium”...



Back home, the garden was looking good – thanks to the hard work of the Exec Producer while I waste my time on music that no-one will ever hear...













While Meg the Black Cat demonstrated that she is sometimes brown...



To Tesco for some shoe implants to protect my almost raw heels re first wearing of the new shoes – and new ink...

Post lunch, spent the afternoon organising the Jazz Jukebox – how to waste a perfectly good Saturday afternoon...

I also though, put together a new version of the “Vendôme” EP...



I’m playing a short set on Wednesday at The Melville here in Edinburgh (probably three, possibly four songs) and propose to give a few away on the night...

Took the opportunity to rehearse the songs included...

Here’s the new version – freshly uploaded to the cloud...



Download by Clicking on a Song Title
Vendôme (Single Mix)
Twenty Twenty Vision (Acoustic Version)
Vendôme (Acoustic Mix)
The End of Everything (Acoustic Version)
Vendôme (Full Version)
I Re-Arranged the House (Acoustic Version)
Vendôme (Instrumental Mix)

(Note : There is a certain amount of cross-fading, so individual downloads may not contain the full song - best download them all)

Not really as uplifting as much of the stuff in the post below from “Eurovision”...

In the evening, “Dr Who” continued and continued to entertain, although the last two episodes haven’t lived up to the first and the first three quarters (until the pat resolution of the problem) of the second...

Then, accompanied by a tasty Chinese, The Eurovision Song Contest – see post below...

Bed beyond midnight – with Allan Holdsworth cleansing the palate...

Highlight of the Day : Sadly, probably Eurovision...